A local brewery is boosting production following the completion of an ambitious four-year expansion project.

Chris and Vanessa Hearn set up Loddon Brewery in a number of 18th century grain stores, in Dunsden Green, in 2002. And after a successful eight years, which has seen turnover and production increase every year, decided to expand.

Mr Hearn said the couple approached Bristol-based Clifton Asset Management (CAM) to discuss funding options because they did not want to be over-reliant on bank loans.

He said: “CAM effectively restructured our borrowings, taking the bank out of the equation, and injected fresh cash via the self-investment of existing pension funds. We have creditor protected our assets and funded our expansion plans without the need to go back to the bank and risk personal assets as loan security.”

The brewery site is now 6,000 sq ft in area which has enabled it to increase production capacity from about 100 barrels a week to a potential 150 barrels.